Berlin, Germany – APC Media, publisher of Transformers Technology, Power Systems Technology, and Women in Power Systems brands, has had the opportunity to visit the CWIEME event and interview thought leaders from leading companies in the power systems industry. We're here with Leonardo Galhardo of DuPont. 

Hi Leonardo. Please tell us a bit about your company's history and experience in the industry and the products or services you offer.

Leonardo Galhardo: DuPont is a 200-years-old company which was always focused on innovation and we developed multiple products that are still used today, like Lycra® or Nylon® as an example. Going more into our business, we have two legacy brands called Kevlar® and Nomex® which are more than 50 years old. What I can highlight right now is that we have just launched our newest innovation: the Kevlar® EXO. It's the next generation of aramid, and it was developed particularly for ballistics, for body armor. But at the same time, there are other applications where this product will be used, like the reinforcement of umbilicals and risers in the oil and gas industry, for instance, and other types of applications that require high mechanical resistance. So going a little bit now to the electrical business, we supply the Nomex® paper and pressboard, which have been used as electrical insulation in transformers and rotating machines for more than 60 years, and more recently in the e-motor of EVs.

We have some new products that we're bringing to the market. Some of them are a combination of Nomex® and mica. We also have a larger size pressboard for power transformer applications. And if you look there on the wall, we also have now some new transformer components which were developed jointly with our value chain partners.

Can you share any success stories or case studies of businesses that have used your products or services and seen significant improvements in their operations or results?

LG: Definitely. I would like to share two success stories that we have. The very first one is related to the rail industry. Nomex® was actually one of the enablers of what we have today in terms of high-speed traction transformers. These transformers were originally developed in France. The technology was then extended to Japan and Germany in the late 90’s before expanding to other countries like Spain or China and always with Nomex® insulation. And ever since, although, of course, the transformer technology has improved, they still use our insulation in paper and board form. Because of the higher operating temperature, Nomex® is combined with synthetic insulating liquids so that they can achieve higher power in a very small size.

The second one I would like to share is what we call the SLIM® transformer. When the wind industry started to be developed in the 90s, particularly here in Europe, a couple of our partners decided to use the Nomex® in the exact same concept as in rail, and they built this transformer that was able to slide in the tower of the turbine. It is thinner than a typical step-up transformer, so it didn't have to go all the way up to the nacelle. That was the concept of the SLIM® transformer and this was very successful. Over 9000 units were made since 2001 and several transformer OEMs did adopt similar technologies.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the industry currently and how is your company addressing those challenges?

LG: I think we have to talk about sustainability. That's the hot topic of the moment. Everyone is trying to understand how to reduce emissions and achieve circularity, and we are also doing the same on our side. Now we're using much more renewable energy in our manufacturing sites in the US and Japan. DuPont, overall speaking, invests in and buys from renewable sources when available. We're also looking to circularity in how to improve our products’ end of life and finding ways to recover and recycle them. Moreover, particularly for Nomex®, we should soon be releasing the numbers for the CO2 emissions. So that's the other part we're working on that we know a lot of our partners and customers have been asking for and we are committed to deliver that to the industry.

What is your company's vision for the future of this industry and how do you plan to contribute to that future?

LG: Well, it's always innovation. We are never satisfied with what we have, and we are always thinking forward. Our goal is to partner with customers, particularly the OEMs, and try to understand what the end user needs are. Based on that, we work internally to develop the next generation of our products. So today we have products that we're selling and are commercial, but we're also working on the product portfolio that will be required in the industry five or ten years from now. EVs is a good example. We have a few solutions here in our booth. There is a lot of work going on. We are what I would call the thought partner for most of the automotive OEMs that are working on the next platforms of EVs. We are committed to increase the reliability of our supply to better meet the growing needs of the industry and to support that, we recently expanded our global Nomex® manufacturing capacity through a new facility in Japan. Our focus is on creating sustainable innovations that help our customers and the world thrive.

Can you elaborate on the EV part of your business?

LG: Sure. We provide solutions that enable vehicle electrification and EV market expansion, including slot liner insulation, thermal management, battery assembly and enhanced connectivity. For example, 8 out of 10 full hybrid and plug-in EVs use Nomex® paper in their drive motors. As the e-motors increase in power, they also need to increase the filling factor, and its efficiency. OEMs try to put more copper, and they're actually in need of higher temperature and thinner materials, so Nomex® is used by itself in discrete form and also together with our other products, such as Kapton® polyimide film which is part of DuPont’s product portfolio. The combination of the two products have been used to support this next generation of EVs. 

Please tell us more about Kapton.

LG: Kapton® film is a polyimide film developed by DuPont. It is known for its exceptional thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties making it widely used in various industries and applications. One of the key properties is its excellent temperature resistance and it can withstand temperatures ranging from -269°C to over 400°C without significant degradation. Kapton® is the best insulation that you can find temperature-wise.

 What are the most common applications?

LG: Kapton® polyimide film is mainly used in electronics, and is typically used in traction motors and high-end applications, beyond EVs already mentioned.